The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-11
ises, the system would be definitely aban.

PRISON LABOR IN THE UNITED STATES.
In 1867 Il. G. Wines and Theodore w.
Dwight, commissioners of the Prison asso-
citation OF New York, made report on the
prisons and reiormatories of the United
States and Canada to the Legislature of
New York. In this report, probably the
most comprehensive ever made, the COM
missioners devoted much space to the
consideration of prison industries. They
found four systems of convict labor had
prevailed to more or less extent in the
United States:
l. That OF working the convicts on ac-
| count OF the State-the State supplying
the capital and raw material, and undertake
ing through its agents tho sale Of the
manufactured articles.
.. Leasing the prison for a stipulated
| annual sum TO some individual or firm,
the lessee having the entire control both of
the discipline and labor OF the convicts
procuring all supplies of food, clothing
medicines, etc, and conducting the whole
business OF the establishment.
J. Working the prisoners on the joint
account OF the State and the warden.
L. The contract system-letting the labor
OF the conyicts TO certain parties called
contractors, for q stipulated period, ut so
much per day for each man.
The commissioners reported that rs TO
the system enumerated rs the third-it
did not exist ut the time Of making the re-
port, experience having shown that the
| joint account arrangement between the
warden and the State was utterly unsound.
As to the second system leasing Of
the person for an annual consideration 10
some individual, or firm, ior n specified
number OF years, the commissioners found
il to exist in several States; Of the working
OF the system in the Missouri pcniteniiary,
| the commissioners quote Warden Miller
! as saying bad rs the contract system is
| in a reformatory view, even when checked
and controlled by the States appointed
agent, il is, nevertheless, TAR bet
| ter than the system of abso-
Lutte leasing. For, while the leasing sys.
TEN is liable to all the abuses OF the con-
tract system, il is open TO some peculiar
TO itself; or, ii not peculiar, at least in
greater strength than In any other. As the
lessee is unrcs,iaincd by any authority,
and is IN the position OF absolute master,
| the temptation to excessive gains, and Ia
/ whatever abuses may be thought cOndu.
| Give TO that end. will only cease when self
|
missioncTs then proceed To say I'm this
short extract we have the very quintcs-
| Sencc OF the system. The same principle
underlics IT, "a that which generated all
the horrible and disgusting abuses Of the
old English jail system, against which
| Howard lifted up his voice and arm. The
great central evil OF that system was, that
| the keepers, free from supervision or re-
| Straint, were left TO make their livingout of
/ the prison. These men enriched
themselves and lived in luxury from the
fees, rents parings from prison rations
and other devices for squeezing money out
OF the poor prisoners; our leSres do the
same thing through the use ot their mus.
clcs and sinews, and by an undue stintinp
[ in their allowances OF food and clothing
The commissioners continue:
| The system Is injurious 10 the prison. bccnus
/ the lc.sea lpoking upon the convict simply a. d
| machine, thinks only how hC can U.s. him ~ Oh,
guaicsipecuniary adsanhgcHnd Dee cars little u the
/ gains an made 10 the ppjudicc ut the discipline
and good oricr OF he Institution. such l. ~,
! rationale OF the operation VI tlis system. 10 "a,
| facts tally with the iheurf Wethluk 80. During
| or visit ~ Frankfort. Ky diYrfs complaints ui
chang, wcrc rcIatrd ~ ~ ~ having becn mai,
against din rent crs. oi the prison. on the ground
ui their unjust uud uuierinr Treatment ~ the pfis
| oncr. one was ChauDi win having fuvaty over
! inshvl his men. 10 that thcs became hr,scn dow
| In health nnd constitution another. width having
| Kept them ON rituus ~ sfiuitd Ia quantity uud -
! iai,rl0r In quality ns 10 have prtinrcd grncra
epidemic 81 The .cuuy and MI, with treating then
| badly toward the end 1T their lDise IN inspect 3,
] ipni, clDthr hcliliug aud other SUPPLE. bcini
I naturally nnNious e. spend ~ liitlr and make NJ
much ns possible ia anticipation OF lhc winding NJ
| NJ the whole husiuce. thus every in,crss
OF the prisoner. hdily aud spiritual. and every IN
icr'at Ot the State. tnlrIiull and moral, arr lu.
eight ct IN the ong ali-ni-Urling ilra OF maxim
- -. .II.Haa
impnpyc thc morals 81 the pluyici. which Will 10
mnnd q moment 81 their time g. r-urici viii
di.iayor nni tfamnelcl hy The lg,soc in ell cnu
! cciiib" Wayr. Ford aud clothing ur brought
! down ~ Tie mnlmum point The strTuFth ui tii
/ tluticis u taxed Tvuu1 uil bounds of vtpn uI
| ,IgumuDc touyicls are fcYrlVl o. 30 many ma
| Cor The work they arr ll'e DIDO. The iici ot ~
| forming them j. lgulrryl aud Au the higher end
0i pcnll discipline arr held in nb,yuuuc.
As to the fourth system named that
| known ~ the contract system the COM.
missioner, found tito brthc one commonly
adopted in American prisons. Their IN.
vcstiguiion, lei them 10 the conclusion
that Il made the contractors wealthy, but
was destructive a. prison discipline anl
opposed To the principle Of Information.
The testimony oi men Of character. with
| long experience in the management ui
prisons, led them % believe that the best
system WIS thnt under which the indus.
tries Oi q PRISON should lc managed by
its head, IL being pr'suppus'd That The
chief officer ]. a person OF competent nbiL
ity, ol incortuplihlc integrity. and pcrma.
nent in his position. This h the
hr,t system enumerated by the
commissioners In their lit. The contract
| system seemed 90 them iull oi evil. for it-
lint effect. they say. j. To place for the
whole working day nll the prisoners con.
| tmcicd for, to % great extent, under the
| control Ut mon with No official rsp0nd.
biliiy; men independent, IN a great dc.
gree, Of the prison authorities; men who
see in the C0nNicts only so much m1rhin.
cry for making money, men whOsr only
recommendation Ia the positions they hold
in the prison is that they proved thU high.
csi bidder for The human beings himd "a
them. Thus docs this system II prison
labor say the commits ,ionrn in cunr.u.
sion, "by a necessary law. by an ins'inc, oi
IT, very nature, oppose itself To all those
great and vital forces of information, OK.
ccpt the simple habit OF industry. hy
which. II "a all. tur inmates oi our prison.
must be reclaimed. cwnrrlicd and r'
absorbed into The mas NJ upright, indus
irous and honorable cIuigrur.
Inspection may correct isolated abuses
philanthropy may relieve Isolated casos oI
di.irss; and religion may effect isolated
moral cures but genuine, mdicll. compr
hensiye, systematic improvement j. iupUs
siblc."
SUGGESTIONS.
From the foregoing extracts and ynop
srs Of reports, one thing at least Il mad,
clear that prison management b.
scirncc, and the Legislature II Mis,is .ypi
| II h would act wisely will have Ia conduct
close investigation tO ascertain what sys
TEN has today the approval oi ihc mo-i On